Detection of readout signals on high-track density MO-disk using an optical phase shifter and deep land/groove recording

We report the results of magneto-optical (MO) detection using an optical ph ase shifter and a deep land/groove disk. We measured the recording characte ristics in the direction of incident linear polarization and found that pol arization perpendicular to the groove is best for a deep groove disk. Using perpendicular polarization, with a 693 nm nm wavelength diode laser and a 0.55 NA objective lens, sufficient readout and recording margins to guard a gainst optical errors were obtained by the experiments at an area density o f 3.69 Gbit/in(2), which was obtained using a 0.35-mu m bit length and a 0. 5-mu m track pitch.